Ice-protector for refrigerators.



J. F. EARNSHAW. ICE PROTECTOR FOR REFBIGERATORS. APPLICATION FILED JA1T.20, 1910.

7 992,761 Patented May 23, 1911.

1n; Nbn'ms PETER: co., WASHINGTON n. c

V UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN F. EARNSHAW, OF ANACOSTIA, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

ICE-PROTECTOR FOR REFRIGERATORS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN F. EARNSHAW, a citizen of the United States, residing at Anacostia, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ice-Protectors for Refrigerators; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in "the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an ice protector for refrigerators.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an ice protecting covering for re-- frigerators, whereby access may be gained to the interior or ice chest without raising the temperature therein to an appreciable extent by the inflow of air from the exterior into the interior of the refrigerator and the outflow of the cold air in the interior of the refrigerator to the exterior.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, theinvention consists in the construction of certain novel features, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the protector as applied to a refrigerator. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken through one of the supporting members of the protector with the parts represented on an enlarged scale, and'Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view.

Referring to the drawings for a more particular description of the invention, 1 indicates the refrigerator which may be of any well known construction and 2 the ice protecting covering which is removably mounted therein. The protector comprises a relatively flexible body portion 3 of a size and shape to entirely fill the space at the top of the refrigerator. The body portion preferably comprises a bottom layer or strip 4 of oil cloth or other water proof material possessing the requisite flexibility and the top layer or strip 5 of duck or other like material between which is arranged a filling as 6, of cork or other like material. A series of three or more supporting members 7 in the form of fiat metal strips extend through the body portion between the top andbottom layers thereof, with the oppo- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 20, 1910.

I Patented May 23', 1911.

Serial No. 539,173.

site ends of said strips extending through slits, as 8 formed in the upper layer and terminating in the vertically disposed supporting hooks 9, the horizontal portions 10 of which are adapted to fit or hook over the usual shoulder or ledge 11 formed on the interior of the body of the refrigerator. The supporting members may be secured to the body portion by rivets 12 or other suitable means. The side and end edges of the upper layer or strip 5 of the body portion are preferably stitched along the lines indicated by the dotted lines 13 and 14 to the side and end edges of the bottom layer. The side and end edges of the upper layer preferably project, however, somewhat beyond the cor,

responding edges of the bottom layer to form the flaps 15 which, when the protector is placed in posit-ion, turn up and fit against the inner surface of the ice compartment of, the refrigerator and establish an air-tight fit or engagement between the body portion and the ice compartment of the refrigerator which insures against the leakage of any cold air from the interior of the latter. The body portion of the protector is provided at opposite ends with the rings 16, whereby one end of the cover may be folded back to a more or less extent or the protector entirely removed.

In practice, to galn access to the interior of the ice compartment, the front end of the protector is turned back only to such an box to the exterior or from the exterior to the interior.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is 1. An ice protector for refrigerators comprising upper and lower layers of flexible material and a non-heat-conducting filling material therebetween, said upper and lower layers being stitched together at their edges, and rigid suspending elements extending transversely between said layers at their ends and central portion, said suspending elements being adapted to engage upon the refrigerator walls to support said protector in the ice compartment.

2. An ice protector for refrigerators comprising upper and lower layers of flexible material and a non-heat-conduoting filling material therebetween, said upper and lower layers being stitched together at their edges, metallic strips extending transversely between the layers, said upper layer having slits therein, the ends of said strips being vertically disposed through said slits and outwardly inclined, said strips having their 5 extremities laterally bent for engagement upon the refrigerator Walls to support the protector in the ice compartment.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing Wit- 20 nesses.

E. EDMONSTON, J r., JOHN P. DUFFIE.

Copies of this patent ma; be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. G. 

